Using Mathematics, A Mother Educates A Skeptic On People's Chances Of Surviving COVID-19 Without A Vaccine
She's no medical expert, but she used numbers to prove her point.
Hillary Dabbs took a math-first approach to a debate that has frustrated plenty of people since the start of the pandemic. Instead of arguing about chemistry or politics, she broke down COVID-19 survival odds with numbers, and her TikTok quickly got attention.
The mother of two made the video after responding to a denier who claimed that most people who got sick with COVID were still alive, no matter their vaccination status. Her point was simple, if the discussion keeps getting stuck on opinions, maybe the statistics can do the talking.
That is exactly what made her video stand out, and the reactions were just as divided as you would expect.
In her TikTok video, Dabbs showed the possibilities of getting COVID-19 based on U.S. statistics.
The chances of falling ill without getting vaccinated were described using numbers, including data on the likelihood of death and more.
@hill_deeeeShe addresses the subject head-on while swearing because she's tired of people saying you'll still get COVID even after getting vaccinated.
@hill_deeeeShe starts doing the math based on the U.S. population.
@hill_deeee
The odds of dying when a person gets COVID
@hill_deeee
Then she goes on to calculate based on breakthrough cases.
@hill_deeee
The chances of getting COVID when you're vaccinated
@hill_deeee
She adds some unrelated data into the mix.
@hill_deeee
The chances of a person dying from COVID when they're fully vaccinated
@hill_deeee
The numbers get a lot harder to brush off once she starts stacking them side by side.
It's already quite obvious, but even the numbers will tell you that the chances of getting COVID are greater when you're unvaccinated.
@hill_deeee
She concludes her video by appealing to unvaccinated people.
@hill_deeee
Sadly, ignorance cannot be cured even if you present these numbers.
hazelsmother
Other people still refuse to listen.
countryboy_365
And some are even trolling.
vettstingray
This is the problem with deniers. Whether it's from a medical expert or a math whiz, they still won't believe in the vaccines.
mnoodlee
There are people who support her cause.
jojami
People in the comments were split, and not everyone was interested in changing their mind.
It’s the same kind of tension as the immunocompromised-family visitor who asked friends to quarantine, but they refused: Should I insist friends quarantine before visiting my vulnerable family?
People had mixed reactions even after Dabbs presented the statistics and calculated the numbers.
kimberleysteward78
Even with hard numbers, people refuse to acknowledge reality.
user971449447
One commenter kept the anti-vax backlash short and blunt.
A user's response to the anti-vax community
yourmomnowtx
Deniers = deaf people
supdaily
Some people did their own research and concluded that vaccines aren't the best option for them.
cer7477
Politicians are probably failing to communicate what medical experts are saying.
probablywrongbut
Watch the TikTok video here.
Other people are not necessarily anti-vax, but they're concerned about the adverse effects.
That is what Dabbs did not address in the video. So she responded to the comments instead.
She said that if people have such concerns, it's better to consult a physician first. There could be alternatives, including flu vaccines.
The debate was never going to end quietly.
Before Spring Break, see why the CDC warned travelers about paralysis-linked illness in 32 countries, here: CDC issues a Level 2 travel warning for 32 nations.
